Skeleton frame for farm-wagons.



No. 788,394. PATENTED APR. 25, 1905. A. L. a c. H. DUDLEY.

SKELETON FRAME FOR FARM WAGONS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11,1904.

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PATENTED APR. 25 1905.

A. L & c. H. DUDLEY. SKELETON FRAME FOR FARM WAGONS.

APPLIOKTION I'ILED NOV. 11,1904.

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NTTED STATES Patented April 25, 1905.

ARTHUR L. DUDLEY AND OARL H. DUDLEY, OF OBERLIN, OHIO.

SKELETON FRAME FOR FARM-WAGONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,394, dated April25, 1905. Application filed November 11, 1904. Serial No. 232,308.

To all whom, it nuty concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR L. DUDLEY and CARL H. DUDLEY, citizens ofthe United Statesresiding at Oberlin,in the county of L0- rain and Stateof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SkeletonFrames for Farm-WVagons; and we do declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to skeleton frames and attachments therefor forfarm-wagons; and the invention consists in the construction andcombination of parts substantially as shown and described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective view of our newand improved wagon-frame in its preferred form, and Fig. 2 is aperspective view of a platform adapted to be secured thereon forconveying hay and the like. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of thewagon-frame and the platform thereon and showing the rear portion of awagon with the wheels omitted. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of anend-gate or upright member adapted to be detachably supported on theends of the wagon-frame. Fig. 5 is a crosssection of the wagon-frame andof the platform shown as converted into the sides of a box or bodyadapted for hauling farm products and the like in which a close body isrequired. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of one end of the wagon-frame andthe box or body seen in Fig. 5 with the end-gate or member secured inplace thereon.

As thus shown, the invention comprises a frame of steel or iron adaptedto be supported upon an ordinary wagon and to be used for variouspurposes according to the material to be transported, and particularlyadapted for the hauling of hay, straw, fodder, and the like, in lieu ofthe ordinary or common styles of hay-ricks in use among farmers, ofwhich there are several, and the said frame is so constructed as to beeasily handled and removed from or placed upon a wagon, so that one manmay do this if two are not convenient for this purpose.

To these ends the invention consists of a rigid wagon-frame constructedof angle steel or iron side bars A and flanged bolsters B, preferably ofchannel metal, as shown, with integral right-angled extremities a,serving as standards and as immediate supports for the parallelangle-iron bars or rails A, which are rigidly riveted or otherwisesecured upon the top of the said standards. These standards are of aheight to clear the wagon-wheels, and braces 6 are employed in theangles between said bolsters and side rails to make the structureperfectly rigid. Together these parts constitute the main frame orwagonframe constituting the foundation of our in vention. Sockets 6' forsupporting the ends of standards 0 of the end-gate or upright memberOare provided upon the extremities of the side rails A (seen in Fig.4:)and designed to be used when hay, fodder, or the like is to beconveyed.

It will be observed that the bolsters B are shown in this instance withdown-flanges on both sides adapted to engage over the bolster D of thewagon, and any suitable means may be employed to prevent the lateralsliding of the frame upon the wagon.

The foregoing construction provides a wagon with a bottom frame which isstrong and rigid and easily handled and adapted to be used according tothe varying needs'of a farm and with any kind of farm products. If it benecessary to haul hay or the like, a platform F, as seen in Figs. 2 and3, may be used. The said platform is made strong enough to carrywhatever load may be placed upon it and is built in two sections orparts longitudinally and united by removable cross-strips f. Eachsection has a strengthening-strip 2 along its outer or upper edge, acleat or strip 8 substantially midway its depth, and metallic or woodstrips 4, preferably along its inner or lower edge. The strips or cleats3 come just inside rails A when the platform is thereon, and short boltssecure the cross-pieces f. If the wagon is to be used with looseproducts such as apples, potatoes, and the like or for live stock-suchas calves, pigs, or sheepthe platform Fis formed with the sectionsorparts In this latter arrangement of parts thereof.

the cleats or strips 3 come directly over or upon rails A, as in Fig. 5,and the sides of the boX or body are braced laterally at their ends byend-gates or members of a suitable kind. Horizontally-rotatable catches6 on the bottom of platform F serve to engage the same with rails A.

When the platform is separated to form sides, as in Fig. 5, suitableboards or planks H are used to form the bottom.

Obviously other than angle-metal side bars might be used and be theequivalent of the bar shown, and heavy wooden bars or rails would servethe purpose; but the angle-bars are preferred for various reasons.

By using a metallic bolster formed as herein set forth and suitable sidebars or pieces A, fixed upon the standards thereof, brings the supportsfor the platform farther apart than is possible otherwise, and thisgives a betterequalized support to the platform and eliminates thenecessity of cross-pieces to fasten a table upon. It also raises theside bars or pieces A to such an elevation that the wheels will turn asfar as they can be and clear to the reach.

What we claim is 1. As a new article of manufacture, a rigid skeletonframe for wagons consisting of a set of metallic bolsters constructedalong their bottom to seat upon the bolsters of the wagon and havingtheir ends bent upward at rightangles to form standards, and side railsrigidly fixed to the top of said standards, substantially as described.

2. A skeleton frame for wagons, comprising front and rear metallicbolsters having flanges along their bottom edges and their ends bentupward and constituting standards, and side rails extending from onebolster to the other and fixed on the tops of said standards, and bracesin the angles of the said parts, substantially as described.

3. In frames for wagons, a metallic frame consisting of downwardlyflanged bolsters having integral right-angled ends constitutingstandards and flanged side rails rigid with said standards, incombination with a sectional platform resting upon said rails and meanslocking the platform to said rails, substantially as described.

4. In appliances for wagons adapted to carry loads, a platform comprisedof two sections horizontally and each section having astrengthening-strip along each of its edges, and said sectionsconstructed to be converted into a rigid platform and to be usedseparately as sides for a wagon-body, substantially as described.

5. A platform for wagons consisting of two sections and each sectionhaving a cleat 2 lengthwise substantially midway between its edges andreinforcing-strips along its edges, and removable cross-piecesconnecting said sections at intervals and constituting a rigidstructure, substantially as described.

6. A wagon-frame having front and rear standards and parallel bars fixedon the top of said standards, in combination with a platform resting onsaid bars and provided with stops on its bottom bearing against theinner sides of said bars and latches engaging the said platform with theouter edges of said rails, substantially as described.

7. A frame for a wagon having metallic bolsters with right-angled endsforming standards and flanges along the bottom and ends of said bolsterand said standards, and angle-iron bars fixed lengthwise on the top ofsaid standards and provided with means at their ends to supportend-gates, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

- ARTHUR L. DUDLEY.

CARL H. DUDLEY. Witnesses:

DAN MOGINTY, OLIN ROSE.

